


Parents

by ThatMasterOnline



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:33:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 13,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29491365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatMasterOnline/pseuds/ThatMasterOnline
Summary: When Hades asks Achilles to raise his infant son, Achilles refuses without thinking, as the idea of raising a child without Patroclus is too painful to contemplate. As it turns out, his mindless refusal of the God of the Underworld changed his fate for the better.
Relationships: Achilles/Patroclus (Hades Video Game), Asterius | The Minotaur/Theseus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 62
Kudos: 238





	1. Change in the Contract

**Author's Note:**

> I literally just started writing this half an hour ago, I have at best a vague idea where this story is going to go. But here's a short preview into my next work once I finish Subdued.

"Patroclus will be given a place in Elysium and you will serve the House for eternity, that is the agreement."

"Yes, sir."

"Sign here."

***

"Achilles."

"Master. How may I be of service?" In life, he had called no one master. It took some getting used to. It had only been a short while since he'd given up everything so Patroclus could rest easy in Elysium. And Queen Persephone had very recently departed; the House was still in mourning. All in all, Achilles felt very off-balance, more so when Hades all but shoved a newborn babe into his arms.

"This is my son, Zagreus. You will raise him, and when he grows old enough, you will teach him to fight." 

His heart constricted. He couldn't. And he said as much.

"Master, I...I cannot. Patroclus was more a father than I, I could not raise your son as he deserved without him." Hades glared at him, and he feared admonishment, but then-

"Very well."

"I...I beg your pardon?"

"Patroclus will be permitted inside the House, and you will be permitted to go to Elysium in your off hours. During this time you will tend to Zagreus. Is that acceptable?"

"Y…Yes, Master." 

Hades left, and returned with a rewritten contract.

"Sign here."

***

Achilles still couldn't believe it. Mere hours ago, he had been crushed under the weight of inescapable grief. Now, here he stood, with the infant Prince Zagreus in his arms and Patroclus in his sight.

"Patroclus." He jerked to look at him.

"Achilles." Patroclus came toward him, kissed him, then pulled back.

"Achilles, I've waited so long for you, I have so much to say, and yet...I feel I quite require an explanation for the babe, first." Achilles laughed, then kissed him again, deeply.

"Patroclus. So much has happened. I…" He took a breath.

"...This is the son of Lord Hades, Prince Zagreus. We are to raise him in his father's stead."

"And I suppose the answer to the question of how exactly you came to be entrusted with the son of the God of the Underworld would be part of the 'so much' that has happened?"

"Well...yes."

"Very well, then. Let us go to the house I was so graciously gifted upon my arrival here. You will tell your story, and I will tend to the tiny Prince."


	2. Bottle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, but I like it that way? Endless cuteness in small doses? I don't know, I'm writing this in bits and pieces. Chapters will either stay short or the length will vary wildly. ...I have no discernable plot beyond dads and cuteness, okay?

"I...became upset, when I learned that you were bound for Asphodel," Achilles began.

"If I know you at all, that's putting it mildly."

"...So, I signed a contract with Lord Hades. I gave you a place in Elysium, in exchange for eternal servitude at the House. This was...not long ago. I was still getting accustomed to my position when Lord Hades asked me to care for his infant son, and to train him in the martial ways when he grew old enough. I...I refused, at first. I couldn't imagine caring for a child without you. When I told Lord Hades as much...he altered my contract so that I might see you. I'm permitted here in Elysium, and you're permitted in the House."

"And in exchange for our being together we are to raise this child to the Lord's satisfaction."

"I'm still to guard the house, of course. But my duties will be lighter, while Prince Zagreus is young enough to require my full attention."

"Naturally." They lapsed into silence for a few moments.

"...To think that a god should be sleeping in my arms at this very moment," Patroclus said, "And what a curious god he is. Have you felt his feet? They burn to touch. It's a wonder he's not in pain himself, and no doubt they'll only get hotter with age." Zagreus began to fuss at that moment, his tiny face scrunched up, and Patroclus reacted immediately.

"Shhh, sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh, it's alright, I'm here, little one, shhh, sh-sh-sh...Shhhh...I'm here, it's alright…Shhh…" Zagreus calmed by degrees, and before long he was once again sleeping peacefully in Patroclus's arms.

"He's so fragile," Patroclus whispered, "Such an innocent little thing…" Patroclus had known this infant for no longer than one conversation, but he felt fiercely protective of young Prince Zagreus. It was as though he'd found the prince on a bloody battlefield surrounded by corpses: already he knew that he would not allow the prince to come to harm, would not allow the prince to experience the cruelties of the world as he had. There was no one to harm him and no one to take away his innocence, but Patroclus would be sure it stayed that way.

Meanwhile, Achilles watched Patroclus fondly. He had not been lying when he said Patroclus was more a father than he. Patroclus loved, instantly and without question, and Achilles could see that already the young prince had captured Patroclus's heart.

"Does he have a bottle?" Patroclus asked suddenly, "He will need something to eat shortly."

"I…" The look that came over Patroclus's face made him wilt.

"Achilles...Please tell me you did not forget that children need to eat?" After a few long seconds withering away under the weight of Patroclus's exasperated stare, Patroclus tsked and sighed.

"Excuse me, Achilles, I need to go to the House and ask for a _bottle_." And Patroclus vanished.

***

"Children need to _eat_ ," Patroclus said when he returned with a bottle, diapers, blankets, and pieces of soft wood that were no doubt meant for building a crib, "And when he wakes up _you're_ going to feed him."

"I don't know how, Patroclus."

"And that's exactly why. We'll make a proper father out of you yet, Achilles."


	3. Feeding

"Hold the bottle like this. Carefully, make sure there's not too much in his mouth." When the room was filled with the sounds of soft suckling, Achilles laughed.

"He's feeding," he said, sounding surprised. Patroclus came behind him and put his arms around his waist and his head on his shoulder, watching the tiny prince fondly.

"He's feeding." Achilles turned to look at Patroclus, but Patroclus shook his head.

"Baby first. He'll need your undivided attention, best learn how to give it now."

"I love you, Patroclus. So much."

Eventually Patroclus nudged the bottle out of Zagreus's mouth, turned Achilles's head, and kissed him.

"Hold him for me a little longer. He'll need a nap, which means I need to build the crib. Take him outside, perhaps, so the noise won't disturb him. But please don't leave the yard, I have no wish for anyone else here to know about the tiny prince just yet."

"Of course." Achilles went out into their yard, sitting on the grass. Zagreus grumbled uncomfortably for some reason, and Achilles bounced him like he had seen Patroclus do.

"Shh...It's alright, Zagreus, I'm here."

"Oh!" Patroclus's head popped out from the door.

"You'll need to burp him. Put his head on your shoulder and pat his back until he does. And be warned he'll probably cry after." Achilles put the baby on his shoulder and began patting him, and Patroclus nodded.

"Yes, like that," he said, then disappeared back inside.

He soon fell into a soothing rhythm. Pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, over and over. Zagreus was fussing, and Achilles hoped it would stop when he burped.

Pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat, pat-pat-

Zagreus burped. And then he immediately calmed. Achilles sighed and turned around to go tell him to find he was already standing at the door.

"I could kiss you right now," he said, and Achilles smiled.

"Then do it." Achilles came over and they kissed, and then again.

"You like burping the tiny prince, do you?" Patroclus asked.

"I admit, it's very calming. I forgot the world around me, for a time."

"I can tell. Let's get little Zagreus down for his nap." 

The crib was very finely built, with blankets on the bottom to make it soft. They were black blankets, a sharp contrast to the usual decor in Elysium, but Achilles found it suited him. 

"Put him down in the middle. Mind his head," Patroclus instructed. Zagreus blinked up at them when Achilles put him down. Achilles was suddenly struck by how tiny he was in his crib.

"He's so small," Achilles murmured. Patroclus wrapped an arm around him.

"And he's ours...and he's tired, so let's let him sleep." Achilles brushed a thumb through Zagreus's hair, and Patroclus patted his head gently, and then they left. 

As soon as they were outside, Achilles felt a pull in his chest.

"I'm needed back at the House," he said hurriedly.

"I'll visit if Zagreus wakes." They shared a quick kiss, and then Achilles vanished.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was largely inspired by this gorgeous piece of art here:
> 
> https://alibeehaw.tumblr.com/post/640105839578005504/do-you-ever-think-about-how-zag-has-a-british

Achilles couldn't focus. He kept thinking of little Zagreus, his hair, his feet, his soft skin, how small and vulnerable he was. Patroclus was watching over him, but...he wanted to be there. He wanted to hold the little prince in his arms again.

"Achilles." Achilles gasped and there was Mother Night, stood in front of him like she had been there calling his name for a while.

"Mother Night! Forgive me, I was...thinking."

"About my son, I gather. How is he?"

"He...he is sleeping now."

"Is he adjusting well?"

"Yes, Mother Night. He has been remarkably well-behaved. Patroclus and I-" Patroclus and I. Patroclus and I, it still felt like a dream. He'd signed away his chance to be with Patroclus, and yet here he was. Saying Patroclus and I.

"...had just put him down for a nap when I left."

"He has been fed?"

"And burped, yes."

"Thank you, Achilles. I have the utmost faith that you will care for my son well. Please allow him to come home, for a time. I do not want this house to feel foreign to him."

"Of course, Mother Night."

"Very well. Continue as you were."

"Thank you, Mother night."

Sometime later Patroclus appeared beside him, with the baby Zagreus in his arms. Zagreus was staring at everything with wide eyes, and he had his tiny fingers wrapped around one of Patroclus's, and Achilles very much almost wept at the sight. 

"I thought you might like to hold him a while."

"I would. Very much," he forced out. Patroclus grinned.

"Well, I'm going to explore the house. Call me if he starts to fuss." Patroclus left, and Achilles was left with Zagreus. He still had to watch the hall, but it was mostly for show, and Zagreus was small enough that Achilles could hold him in one arm and hold his spear with the other.

To be honest, though, he didn't do much hall-watching.

He could tell when Zagreus started to fuss that he was tired. He could see it in the way that Zagreus's once wide-open eyes now blinked slowly, how his eyes never opened more than halfway. It was an intoxicating sight. Achilles forgot the world around him, too focused on Zagreus. He watched as Zagreus's eyes slipped closed, as his arms stopped searching to rest limply at his sides...and before he knew it, Zagreus was asleep in his arms.

***

"You see what I mean?" Patroclus murmured to Nyx. Both of them were standing across the hall and watching Achilles. "He's inexperienced as a father, yes, but the love is there. Everything else can be taught."

"Yes, I see," Nyx replied, "Thank you, Patroclus. I had my doubts when Achilles said he could not be a father, but I see my concerns were unfounded. You both have my blessing. Should you require any assistance, you need only ask."

"Thank you, Lady Nyx."


	5. A. Chill. Es.

Day by day, Zagreus grew. He started staying awake longer, sleeping longer.

("Now that Zagreus is asleep and will likely stay that way for some time, I was thinking we might... _ not  _ sleep," Patroclus had hinted one such time.)

They were sitting at the table, and they were feeding him. As was his habit, Zagreus watched them both with wide eyes.

"K…" The spoon froze as both of them stared, wide eyed.

"He's talking, Achilles."

"Shh! Yes, Zagreus? What is it?"

"K...K...Kill."

"Ah-"

"AHAHAHAHA!!" Patroclus burst out laughing, doubled over and slapping his thigh. Achilles looked scandalized, and utterly terrified.

"I fail to see how this is funny, Patroclus, we've taught him-we've taught him-"

"Oh, you blind fool, don't you see?" Patroclus asked.

"His first word was 'kill', how am I to explain that to Lady Nyx? What exactly am I meant to see?!"

"Oh, you…!" Patroclus lost himself to laughter for a few more seconds before he finally gasped in a breath.

"Say your name, slowly," he wheezed.

"A...chill-oh." Patroclus burst out laughing again.

"Oh, I'm going to remember this forever!" Patroclus gasped, as Achilles set about trying to correct Zagreus.

"You were close, lad, so very close. It's Achilles. A. Chill. Es. A-chill-es. Will you  _ stop _ , Patroclus? What if Mother Night hears her son saying 'kill'?!"

"No I will not stop," Patroclus wheezed.

"Kill," Zagreus cooed. Achilles sighed, and Patroclus was utterly lost, brought to the ground by his own laughter.

"Kill."

"No, Zagreus, it's 'Achilles'. Achilles."

"Kill, kill!"

"Zagreus," Patroclus gasped, "Zagreus, please, you're killing me…! Ahahahahaha,  _ killing _ !"

"Patroclus, for gods' sakes, st- st-" He cleared his throat.

"Kill!" Zagreus cooed, and oh he looked so  _ proud of himself _ …! 

Achilles couldn't help it, he laughed. Not as loud as Patroclus, but the quiet chuckles were there, and he sat on the ground with Patroclus and pulled him into his arms.

"Kill. The lad's first word was kill."

"Oh, I love this child so much, Achilles."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why yes I *am* proud of myself for thinking of this, thank you for asking.


	6. At the House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Adam29 for the idea for this chapter!

Achilles's life was fond Hell.

"Kill!" Prince Zagreus gurgled, every chance he got. Patroclus had been laughing about it for the past two weeks, and Achilles wasn't sure Pat would ever let him live this down. Of course he couldn't fault little Zagreus, but...

"Kill!" Zagreus cooed, and Patroclus chortled again.

"He's precious, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes...but I still would prefer it if he wasn't saying 'kill' every moment."

"Kill!" Achilles sighed, and smiled.

***

Next came 'Pa'. Like Pat.

"Pa!" Zagreus chriped, and Patroclus's eyes went wide and he began to tremble. He pulled Zagreus into his arms and held him tight.

"Oh, my sweet Prince, yes, Pat's here, Pat'll take good care of you, oh…"

***

"Kill!"

"Shh, Zagreus, not here in the House, alright?"

"Let it be, Achilles, he's a babe, no one will fault him."

"Of course they won't fault  _ him _ , they'll fault  _ us _ ."

"Aren't you overreacting, just a bit?"

"No, I rather am not." Zagreus's hand wrapped around Achilles's finger, and Achilles smiled.

"All right, lad, we're here."

"I see you've brought my son to work today. Is he adapting well?" Zagreus, ever-curious, turned to face the source of the sound.

"Yes, Master, he's been quite-"

Zagreus began to cry. Loudly. 

"Why is he making that awful racket?" Achilles had never once lied to Lord Hades, but even he was not brave enough to tell the God of the Underworld that his imposing countenance had frightened his son to tears.

"He-he's likely hungry, Master-"

" _ Tired _ , Achilles. You can tell by his eyes. It's time for another nap, I'd wager," He said, as he took Zagreus from Achilles's arms and began to bounce him soothingly.

"Another?" Hades asked.

"He's not quite sleeping through the night yet, Lord Master Hades," Patroclus said, "Sometimes he takes frequent naps through the day, it's unavoidable at this stage. Shh, it's alright, Zagreus, Uncle Pat is here..."

"Is not the reason he is unable to sleep at night  _ because  _ he naps during the day?"

"He sleeps plenty long enough during the night, five or six hours easily, and still he takes roughly four naps a day. Hush, Zagreus, shh-shh-shh-shh...Children at this stage are asleep more than they are awake. It's quite normal. Shhh, it's alright, Zagreus, we'll get you down for your nap soon enough."

"Hrn. Very well then, take him, let him nap."

"Right away, Lord Master Hades." Patroclus vanished.

When Achilles returned from his duty shift, he could be forgiven for the way his legs suddenly turned to liquid and he collapsed in the grass. Patroclus came out to help him into a chair.

"Rough day at work?" Patroclus asked with a knowing sympathy.

"I've stared death in the face and I have never once in my life been so frightened, Patroclus. Should I have spoken the truth?"

"Absolutely not, you were quite right to lie to him."

"...Where is Zagreus?"

"He did in fact go down for a nap shortly after we arrived home. Too much excitement for one day."

"I quite agree." Patroclus chuckled.

"I can tend to Zagreus for the rest of the evening, or day, if you'd like to rest." Achilles kissed Patroclus without a word, then stood to go into their shared bedroom to do just that.


	7. New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit again to Adam29, and it's worth mentioning that I have not one single goddamn clue how language develops in children. He's big enough to walk. He has trouble understanding words bigger than two syllables without extensive practice. Is that realistic? Bold of you to assume I care that much about realism in this purely self-indulgent soft humour fic.

Years passed, and Zagreus grew. 

"How strange," Achilles said, as they watched a now four year-old Zagreus run around in front of their house, "That he will grow to an adult as mortals do...and then not age afterwards."

"Strange, yes, but I don't mind. It's more time to spend with him, to watch him grow and mature into the kind young man I know he will be."

"Patroclus being sentimental? Never thought I'd see the day," Achilles quipped, and then, "Zagreus? Don't go too far from the house, lad."

"'kay!" 

"You trust him to listen?" Patroclus asked. Zagreus had grown into an active young boy who refused to sleep through the night and let his curiosity get the best of him. Even now, Zagreus ran down the hill and around a corner, and Achilles sighed.

"Let's go fetch him-" But Zagreus came running back, straight up to Achilles with the biggest possible grin on his face.

"Look, Achilles, look, look! It's a big animal, come see, come see!" Achilles and Patroclus let themselves be dragged by the hand, but before they could get far, Thesius and Asterius came around the corner.

"Great Achilles!" Thesius boomed, "Forgive the intrusion, Asterius here was going on about a child! I told him he was being ridiculous, but-"

"I was not being ridiculous, King. There is the small one, in front of them."

"See, Achilles, look! An animal!"

" _ Animal?! _ " Thesius shouted, as Achilles said, "Don't be rude, Zagreus. Animals can't speak, remember, and you just heard him speak. His name is Asterius, and you will call him such."

"As...As...iu...chiu...Eschrius?"

"Asterius."

"Es...chrius."

"As."

"As."

"Ter."

"Ter."

"I."

"I."

"Us."

"Us."

"Asterius."

"Es...As...ter...Es...Esse..rius. I'm gonna pick flowers for Essius!" And he was off. Achilles sighed.

"Forgive him, Asterius. We've not had a chance to teach him of surface beings yet."

"He is not a mortal, then. I suspected as much from his burning feet."

"Quite unnatural! What an abhorrent little child."

"I'd suggest you watch who you call 'abhorrent' around me, Thesius," Patroclus said venomously.

"Es-Es-Es-Erie-Essie! Essie, look! I brought food!" And Zagreus held out an armful of blue flowers.

"Food?! Why you insolent little-" But Asterius silenced him with a glare.

"He does not know better, King." Asterius knelt down and held out his hands for the flowers.

"These are not food, small one. They are decoration."

"Deca...what's a deca-deca- what's that?"

"Watch." Asterius took the flowers, and carefully folded the stems together to make a small flower crown. He placed in on Zagreus's head, and it fell off when he physically tilted his head backward to look at it. Asterius snorted, and placed the crown back on Zagreus's head.

"Do not move your head too much, or it will fall off."

"...Achilles says I should always share. So...so I'll give you half!"

"No need, small one. I will make another." And make another he did, and he placed it on his own head.

"So we wear flowers?" Zagreus asked.

"It is possible. Flowers are living things, however. It is best not to touch them. Let them be, and only watch them."

"...So what do you eat, then?"

"The same as you, small one." Zagreus suddenly reached out and put his hands in Asterius's fur.

"Up! Up, Essie!" Asterius picked Zagreus up, where he promptly snuggled into Asterius's fur. Asterius turned toward Thesius.

"King."

"I will have nothing to do with that-" He glanced at Patroclus, "... _ child _ , thank you, Asterius. He has been abominably rude to you!"

"He is a child, King. You would not have been much better."

"...I don't understand why you have taken such a liking to him!"

"In my lifetime, grown men ran from me in terror. I can tolerate a lack of knowledge for the sake of one who does not run from me." 

"...Your hair is pretty," Zagreus said to Thesius, whose eyes went comically wide at the compliment.

"Wh...I suppose he's well-mannered at least. Achilles raised you well, strange child."

"What's your name?"

"My name is Thesius, Champion of Elysium, and you would do well to remember it!"

"Th...easy...yus. Th...the...Theus. The-zee-us. The-the-the…"

"Oh,  _ nevermind _ , then!"


	8. The Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter that was inspired by me. I have very short scenes in mind and literally nothing else. I live in fear of how this AU ties into actual in-game events.

Zagreus grew to love Essie, and though he often saw Theezy, they never spoke. Theezy and Essie were friends, but Essie liked him and Theezy didn't. Essie let him touch his fur, and Essie carried him...but only in his arms. Essie was a big, furry man. Or at least, that was what everyone else wanted him to think. 

He often saw Essie at night. Achilles would say that if he was going to stay awake anyways, he might as well play with Essie, so Essie would come over and he would carry him, and then he would fall asleep. He'd wake up in his bed. He always felt bad for not playing with Essie, but Essie said it was okay.

(Zagreus wouldn't figure out until much, much later that it was a cleverly disguised trick to get him to sleep.)

Zagreus also spent time at the House. The House with a capital H. The house where his real dad lived. Achilles and Pat always said Hades was his real dad, but he never saw Hades and Hades was kind of mean, so Achilles and Pat were his real dads. And Nyx was his mom. She was pretty, and much nicer than Hades was. Sometimes she even held him. She was nice.

He also met his brothers. Hypnos and Than. They would play tag a lot. Than was really good at hide and seek, but Hypnos could never be it because he fell asleep while counting. If he wasn't it, he fell asleep in his hiding spot. Than was really really good at hide and seek. Zagreus could  _ never  _ find him. Nyx got mad at Than after they played hide and seek once, though, and then he got a lot easier to find after that. Tag was good because Hypnos had to run...but sometimes he fell asleep while running, too. When he stayed at the House with Nyx, he always went to sleep. Hypnos made him. It was nice when they slept together, it was warm and cosy. Zagreus thought he could see why Hypnos liked sleeping so much, but he also thought looking around was much more interesting. Sleeping was nice, but too boring.

He also met Cerbie. Cerbie was their dog. Cerbie was red like his feet, and really strong. He was a guard dog. Zagreus liked to try to burn Cerbie with his feet. It never worked, so he started stepping on Cerbie's tail. This made Cerbie get angry and smack him with his tail. It always knocked him onto his butt, but it was funny.

Achilles would be there sometimes, holding a sharp knife he called a spear. He said he was on guard duty. Zagrus laughed and tried to burn his feet like he did with Cerbie the guard dog, but Achilles got mad at him for that, so he stopped.

"Up, Achilles!" he said one day, and Achilles sighed.

"Well, alright, lad."

It was nice, up high. He could see so much. Nyx came over.

"Achilles."

"Lady Night."

"No, Achilles!" he said, "Her name is Nyx! Nyx." Achilles smiled at him.

"Nyx, then."

"Zagreus has grown up nicely."

"Thank you, Lady Nyx."

"I understand he is sleeping in his own bed?"

"He doesn't sleep much, but yes."

"I would like for him to live here, then. In the House." Zagreus's eyes went wide.

"Leave Achilles?!"

"Zagreus, lad, we'd still see eachother, it's just that your home would be here, now." He started to cry.

"I don't wanna go!! I wanna stay with Achilles!!!"

"Hush now, lad, I said we'd still see eachother-"

"NO! I don't  _ wanna _ !"

"Zagreus-"

"No, he is right," Nyx said, "It is too sudden a change. You will stay here at the house one night, every month. Is that acceptable?"

"Only one?"

"Only one."

"...Fine." But he was still pouting. He didn't  _ want  _ to leave Achilles, but he did like Hypnos and Than and Nyx and Cerbie, so...one night would be okay.

(One became two. Two became three. Three became four. And over the course of a few years, Zagreus was slowly and carefully transitioned to living at the House full time. The House was his home now, but he still went to visit Achilles from time to time, and he was still very comfortable there. And Achilles and Patroclus were still his fathers, no matter Hades's official title was.)


	9. Imagine Being a Butterfly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a reference to another fic which is absolutely gorgeous and I have just realized that it makes no sense if you haven't read the fic. Long story short, Hypnos put Patroclus to sleep until Achiles ended a war while they were still alive. To put him to sleep, Hypnos told a (Chinese?) story about a man who dreamt he was a butterfly, and floating on a flower. Complete with face touching to soothe him. Patroclus slept quite literally like the dead for weeks on end, and Achilles was very understandably a wreck. Patroclus here is referencing intimate knowledge of how Hypnos works, they both know where he got that knowledge, and the mere memory of that terrifying time upsets Achilles, because obviously. The fic in question, called Dämmerung, is here:
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/29190291/chapters/71668626

It was dark. The endless glow of Elysium filtered through their bedroom window. The door creaked open, and tiny footprints sounded, with the accompanying singe to the floor. There was a shake to Patroclus's shoulder. But of course, they slept together, so even as Patroclus was woken by the touch Achilles was woken by the tearful "Daaaaaad...Daaaaaad…!" that followed it.

"Zagreus?"

"Hmmmwhat is it, tiny prince?"

I had a bad dreeeeaaam...Can I sleep with you? It's too dark…" Patroclus groaned and patted the space between them, and moved back so Zagreus could climb over him and settle between them. They wrapped their arms around him and held him close as he cried.

"Want to talk about it, lad?" Zagreus shifted, but as he didn't start talking Achilles figured that was a no.

"Uncle Pat's got you…" And then Patroclus held him close, as he remembered all of the times he'd said that over the years. 

"I love you, Zagreus," he whispered, as Zagreus kept crying. Zagreus snuggled into Patroclus, and Achilles wrapped his arm over the both of them, and began to hum softly. He hoped beyond hope, but of course this was Zagreus they were talking about, so-

"I can't sleeeeep."

"Hmm?" Patroclus groaned, as he stirred.

"I can't sleep, dad." Patroclus took a deep breath.

"...Does Hypnos tell you a story to help get you to sleep?"

"Yes! And he cuddles me and...Achilles, you're squeezing too tight."

"A-a-ah...am I? F-forgive me."

"Which one is your favourite?"

"The one about the man who thinks he's a butterfly."

"Close your eyes then, and think about that story and the way Hypnos cuddles you. Don't let yourself think about anything else."

"Can we switch, lad?" Achilles asked suddenly, "I'd like to lay next to Patroclus, if that's alright."

"Hm…okay. But hold me close, okay, I don't want to get cold."

"I wouldn't even dream of letting you get cold, lad." They switched, Achilles laid with his back to Patroclus's chest and Zagreus's back to Achilles's chest. Patroclus put his arms around the both of them, and buried his face in Achilles's neck.

"I'm here, Philtatos," he whispered, "That dark time is long gone."

"Do you remember the story, dad? Can you tell it to me?"

"Afraid I don't, tiny prince. You'll just have to imagine all the pretty things yourself. Focus on how nice and calm the story makes you feel, and imagine Hypnos there helping you fall asleep. I'll even hum for you, if you think it would help."

"Could you? I've never heard you sing."

"Well, be forewarned, Achilles is the musician of the family." He started to hum, and occasionally he punctuated his song with kisses to Achilles's neck or hair, and soon enough Zagreus had indeed fallen asleep.


	10. Who to Kiss Where

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Adam29 for...practically writing this story for me, at this point. I swear I'll come up with an original idea at some point.

"Theseus, what's that thing you do with Asterius?"

"How am I meant to answer when your question is so dam- blas- so vague!" Theseus was making a valiant effort to watch his language around the child.

"What's vague?"

"Aargh…! I do a lot of  _ things  _ with Asterius, tiny boy, to which are you referring!"

"When you press his lips against yours. Achilles and Patroclus do the same thing, what is it?" Theseus choked on nothing.

"It...it's something you do with people you love!" Theseus flinched, expecting another question, but-

"Oh, okay." Theseus sighed with relief, and could be forgiven for thinking that was the end of it. And it was, for Theseus.

A few days later, however, when Zagreus was back at the House and Achilles was tucking him in, Zagreus reached up, pulled Achilles down, and kissed him full on the mouth. Achilles blinked at him.

"What was that for, lad?"

"I saw Theseus doing that with Asterius. I asked him about it, and he said it was something you do with people you love." Achilles coughed awkwardly.

"Well...yes and no. There are seven different types of love, Zagreus, and kissing is something you do with...only people you love a certain way." Zagreus pouted at him in a way that Achilles knew meant he was about to cry.

"Do you not love me enough?"

"No no, it's not like that lad. There's the love that brothers have, like you and Hypnos and Thanatos, and that's one kind of love. And then there's the kind of love that mothers and fathers have. What...Patroclus and I, and Theseus and Asterius have. They're both called love, but they're different. Understand?" Zagreus nodded.

"Patroclus and I, and Theseus and Asterius, we kiss because that's one way to express the love we have. But you and I, or you and Nyx, or Thanatos, or Hypnos...it's not right for family to express their love that way. Not on the lips, anyway. You can kiss me on the cheek. Understand?"

"So people kiss eachother different places depending on what kind of love they have?"

"...Something like that, yes. You'll understand when you're older, but for right now...families kiss eachother on the cheek, and people who love eachother very much kiss eachother on the mouth."

"So can I kiss Asterius on the mouth?"

"No, lad. You love Asterius, and he loves you, but that's...friend love. And friends don't kiss eachother at all. They hug, or do other things. Each kind of love is expressed a different way. It must seem very complex for you, but I promise it will make much more sense when you get old enough to tell the difference between the seven types of love."

"So kiss you and Nyx and Than and Hypnos on the cheek, and don't kiss Asterius. Or Theseus."

"Exactly right." Achilles leaned down and kissed Zagreus on the cheek.

"Goodnight, Zagreus."


	11. Prepare Everything

Hades had decided that Zagreus - at _seven_ years old - was old enough to learn how to use a sword. Achilles had all but gotten down on his knees and begged to be allowed to teach him in Elysium, because Zagreus was still most comfortable there and Achilles knew that sparring was going to be disastrous.

Funnily enough, Achilles was right.

"He wants us to _what_?" Patroclus asked, as Achilles walked past him. He was shaking his head.

"Just...prepare...everything, Pat."

"Favourite food, favourite drink, blanket, games, hugs, kisses...Gods help and forgive us."

And so sparring lessons began. With sticks, of course.

"You hit people with it."

"Why?"

"Well...because you don't like them."

"Can I hit Theseus?"

"No, lad. Only hit people who try to hit you first. Or if someone is really trying to hurt you."

"Why would anybody try to hurt me?"

"Hopefully, nobody will. But it's good practice. It teaches you all sorts of things, like how to control your emotions."

"Oh."

So they practiced. Zagreus was an eager student, which Achilles expected, and he learned well, which Achilles expected, and eventually he accidentally landed a hit on Zagreus with his stick, which Achilles expected…

And Zagreus bawled.

Which Achilles expected.

"WAAAAAAAAAHAHHHHH!"

"Gods damn it all," he heard Patroclus mutter as he gathered Zagreus in his arms.

"Shhhh, I'm so sorry, lad, let me see." It was barely even a scratch and wouldn't even bruise, but instances of pain in Zagreus's life could be counted on one hand, so to him it was excruciating.

"It _huuuuurrrrts!_ " Zagreus wailed, as big, fat tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I know, lad, I know. Can I kiss it better?" Zagreus nodded and wiped his eyes, and Achilles brought the injured arm to his lips and kissed it ten times over.

"That's enough for today, I think, and next time I'll go extra extra easy on you." Zagreus nodded, and kept right on sobbing, and continued sobbing well after Patroclus had squeezed him tight and snuggled him close and kissed his head and face at least four dozen times and given him all his favourite everything.

They didn't spar for a few days, after that. And, when asked, Achilles said only that Zagreus was a very eager student and learned fast. 

Which was, technically, true. It just deftly avoided saying that Zagreus, like any seven year old, did not take kindly to being hit.

***

"Zagreus, where did you get this mark?"

"Achilles hit me with his stick. Father told Achilles I have to learn how to fight, so we were practicing and he hit me. It hurt a lot...but Achilles kissed it better and we stopped practicing right away."

"I see."

***

"Achilles." Achilles swallowed.

"...Lady Night."

"You are to cease sparring practice with Zagreus. Let me worry about Hades." Achilles sighed with relief.

"Bless you, Lady Nyx."


	12. Bath Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Jane Silver for the idea for this chapter!

"Zagreus."

"...Yes, Uncle Pat?"

"What did I say about playing in the mud?"

"...Don't."

"And what are you covered in right now?"

"Um… … ...dirt?" Patroclus heaved a sigh.

"Alright then, into the bath you go."

A short time later, Patroclus was bathing Zagreus. Zagreus laughed and giggled and splashed Patroclus in the face for the sheer fun of it. The first time it happened, Patroclus had had his mouth open, and when the water had landed he'd spat out the water, making a fountain of water from his mouth. So Zagreus did it again, and again, and again.

"I'll make you a deal, tiny Prince," Patroclus said tiredly, "If you let me scrub your hair I'll show you the best fountain you've ever seen." Zagreus's eyes went comically wide, and he sat still and let Patroclus wash his hair  _ and  _ his body.

"Good job, Zagreus. I'll need to get a cup for this to work. Will you wait like a good boy?" Zagreus nodded. Patroclus went to get a cup, filled it with water, drank it, and then tilted his head upwards and spat out a continuous stream of water. Zagreus laughed and clapped his hands.

"Again, again, Uncle Pat, again!"

"Alright, but only one more time, alright?"

"Alright!" So Patroclus did it again, and Zagreus clapped.

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear I lost my beloved to a storm and not a spear," Achilles said behind him.

"You did. Lost to the storm that is Prince Zagreus." Achilles smiled.

"I think it's time for you to have a nap, lad. Come on, out of the tub."

"Already?"

"Yes, already. Come on." Zagreus was coaxed out, dried off, dressed, and sent to bed, and once he was sound asleep Achilles insisted that Patroclus be given a bath as well.


	13. Swim in the Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to preface this chapter by saying:
> 
> Everything. Turns. Out. Fine. I wouldn't do that to my baby. 
> 
> But also mega TW for mentions of accidents that sometimes happen to children. And my deepest condolences to anybody who has been affected by any such accidents.
> 
> Bedtime story at the end was all me.

Living with Zagreus, being his parents, all of it, it was all like a dream.

But, as a select few parents will tell you, that dream could become an unending nightmare. All it took was a few seconds of inattention. For Achilles and Patroclus, it was a passing butterfly in the wind.

"So peaceful," Patroclus said, and Achilles hummed. When they looked back to the ground, Zagreus was nowhere to be found.

"Zagreus?" Achilles called. No response.

"Zagreus, lad? Come on out." Nothing.

"Zagreus, stop this this instant!" Achilles and Patroclus began checking around every statue, anything big enough to hide a seven year old child.

"ZAGREUS!!" They searched frantically for him, until-

"ACHILLES!!" 

Zagreus was gliding down the river Lethe.

Unconscious.

Achilles knew that the river Lethe terrified Patroclus. It brought back memories of the dark time when they were apart, the thoughts of 'just one sip, and the pain will all vanish'. He didn't blame Patroclus in the slightest, then, when he froze in sheer terror of their little boy having suffered the same fate he very nearly brought on himself. Patroclus screamed, and Achilles grabbed his spear, roped the blunt end of it through Zagreus's belt, and hoisted. It was utterly graceless, but that didn't matter. He set Zagreus down and pulled him away from the Lethe, and then Patroclus was on him, kissing his forehead and moaning.

"No, no, no,  _ no _ ...My boy, my sweet boy, my tiny prince…!" A sob tore its way free of Patroclus's throat, and Achilles wrapped his arms around him.

The Lethe was made entirely of clouds, Zagreus couldn't possibly drown in it...but none of that mattered if his memory was gone. If he was reduced to a blank slate, a boy with a soul wiped clean…

Patroclus screamed again. And then promptly froze when the tiniest of sounds escaped Zagreus's lips. They watched with bated breath as Zagreus forced his little eyes open, as he looked about him blearily.

"Lad," Achilles gasped. "Zagreus. Zagreus, can you hear me?"

"Uh...Uh-huh…"

"Zagreus…" He could barely force the words out. "...Do you know who we are?" Zagreus looked wearily between them.

"...No…?" Achilles crumpled. They both did. Achilles put his head on Zagreus's chest and cried, and Patroclus ground his fingers in the grass until it ripped. Suddenly Achilles gasped.

"Lady Nyx!" He scooped Zagreus up, and Patroclus came with him as they both transported to the house and ran to her.

"Nyx!" She looked up, and came to them at once.

"He fell into the Lethe," Achilles said. Nyx's eyes widened, and Achilles thought he heard Hades, but they were gone in an instant. They reappeared...somewhere else. It was dimly lit, and it seemed as though they were on a floating platform in space. Strange, inky water rippled around them, and Achilles shuddered and looked away. Nothing was there on the platform with them save a child-sized bed.

"Put him here," Nyx said, and Zagreus frowned up at her as he was laid in bed.

"Who…?" But she laid a hand over his eyes, and he went limp immediately after. Achilles and Patroclus stepped back, and let her work. 

Nyx moved her hands firmly over Zagreus's chest and sides. She turned his face this way and that, caressed it, none too gently, and through it all Zagreus remained motionless. After what felt like eternity, Zagreus took in a breath. He inhaled, continuously, for an impossibly long time. When it seemed he couldn't take in another particle of air he stopped, held his breath like that for several long moments...and then exhaled slowly, and they both saw that his breath was white with wisps of the Lethe. 

She did the same thing again, and then again, and then again, over and over until his breath ran clear three times in a row. Finally Nyx stood up.

"He will be alright when he wakes." Achilles bowed in front of her, face down to the floor, but she cut him off before he could speak.

"You cannot watch him every moment of the day. I understand that it was an accident, and I bear you no ill will. I trust you will exercise more caution in future."

"Yes," Achilles gasped, "Forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive. Now, I must speak to Lord Hades. ...He will need to rest. Watch him for me." Nyx vanished, and both of them were at his side in an instant. Neither of them dared to speak, for fear of disturbing his rest, but Pateoclus ran his fingers through Zagreus's hair and Achilles buried his face in the blankets next to Zagreus's stomach. Patroclus's hand found his back, and Achilles reached for him and collapsed in his arms.

"I'm so sorry," Achilles whispered.

"We are both at fault, Philtatos," Patroclus whispered back, "Now shh, let him rest." They stayed like that for an immeasurable period of time, the only sound being their shaky breaths.

"Da…" They both gasped, and turned to look at him. Zagreus was barely awake, his eyes fluttered dangerously, but he was awake and looking at them, which meant he would recover.

"My boy," Patroclus breathed and took his hand, "My sweet, baby boy, my tiny prince…" Patroclus kissed his forehead, three times, as though he were unwilling to part from him.

"How do you feel, Zagreus?"

"Tired…" He blinked sleepily, and Nyx reappeared.

"Hades will hold his peace about the incident...but I would caution you to perform your duties to perfection for some time, Achilles." Achilles bowed.

"Zagreus. It is good to see you awake, my child." Zagreus yawned.

"Hi, mom…" All three of them appeared in Zagreus's bedroom at the House. And immediately after a toll sounded.

"Zag!"

"Zaaaaaggg…!" Thanatos, perhaps thirteen years old, looked panicked, and Hypnos, about ten, was crying. Zagreus yawned again.

"Hi, guys…"

"What happened, Zag, what happened?"

"Mmmm...Dunno...Mtired, though…" Hypnos snapped to attention almost immediately.

"I can help! I can help with that!" Hypnos trailed his hands lightly down Zagreus's face, and put on his best sleepytime smile despite his puffy, watery eyes.

"Happy sleep, my little sweet, and go on to dream. Swim among the stars, may you never lose steam. Sit on the moon, and swim in the night. And don't come back, until first light."

Zagreus dreamt he was swimming in the stars.


	14. Recovery

"I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault, lad."

"I'm still sorry."

"I know."

What Zagreus is trying to express here is, 'I see you and Pat are upset, and I'm at the center of it, and I'm scared and worried and I want to help but I don't know how'. But that's a complex emotion, much too complex for seven year old Zagreus to put into words. So what he says instead is:

"I'm sorry."

"I  _ know _ , lad."

What Achilles is trying to express is, 'I took my eyes off you a few moments and if not for Lady Nyx that slight would have cost you your memory, and I hate myself for it, and I hate myself more for whatever I've done to lead you to believe I blame you at all, because now you're hurting because of my oversight, and I can barely breathe through the guilt of knowing I hurt you and every time you apologize it's another reminder that I failed, both then and now'.

But adults aren't always good at articulating their emotions, much less at articulating a complex thought like that in a way that a seven year old could understand. So what he says instead is:

"I know, Zagreus. I know. It's not your fault."

"I'm still sorry." (But you're still hurting.)

"I know." (I'm tired of hearing you apologize to me when it should be the other way around.)

***

The same conversation was happening between Achilles and Patroclus, neither of whom would fault the other for the accident, while blaming themselves at the same time. But they held eachother, and they held Zagreus, and slowly things got better.

Almost.

"Please let me come back to Elysium, dad?"

"No." Zagreus could only sigh. They'd had this conversation before. He knew this wasn't an argument he could win.

"It's okay, Zag, that means more time to spend with us. Or...with him, rather."

"Yeah, why would you wanna leave, Zag?" Hypnos had been quite literally attached to his hip after the Lethe incident. They ate together, slept together, did everything together. Thanatos never left his side either, but with Hypnos around his waist he'd taken to sitting next to him. 

"Yeah, you're right."

"I need to go to work. I'll be at my post, lad."

"Okay, bye...Say, I was wondering, Than...How did you know, right away? That I'd had an accident?"

"Achilles came running by with you in his arms."

"You were dreaming a really strong dream, I could tell...and then mom looked so scared…" Hypnos was crying again, and he snuggled even closer.

"I don't remember any dream...I don't remember what happened, really. Achilles said I fell into the Lethe, but...I don't think I  _ meant  _ to…"

"Of course not, Zag. Achilles said it was just an accident, right? Nyx said the same thing too."

"I was so scared, Zag...You didn't recognize me...so when Than said you were back, we went right there!"

"You told me a bedtime story," Zagreus said, with a smile.

"I tell the best bedtime stories! And I'll tell you a bedtime story anytime you want!"

"Boy." Zagreus looked up at Hades. His father.

He didn't like his father much. He always had to obey him, even though he was never around and never acted like a father.

"Yes, father?"

"I heard about your...accident. Are you recovered?"

"Yes, father. Hypnos and Than have been really nice. And I'm all better now."

"Hm. Very well." And then he left.

"Weird," Zagreus said, and went back to cuddling Hypnos.


	15. Toy

They were back at the House, and Zagreus was running around, which wasn't unusual. What was unusual was Hypnos sitting sullenly some distance away and Zagreus holding a toy that certainly wasn't his.

"Zagreus, lad, where did you get that toy?" 

One thing about Zagreus that Achilles liked was that he wore his heart on his sleeve...which meant that Achilles knew what had transpired, because the most blatantly guilty look he'd ever seen spread over Zagreus's face.

"I...um...borrowed it. From Hypnos." Achilles plucked the toy from his hands, and strangely, Zagreus started to cry.

"Give it back!"

"No, you stole this and it's not yours."

"Give it back!"

"No."

"Why don't you love me anymore, Achilles?"  _ When did he learn to be manipulative?  _ Achilles asked himself.

"Lad, you know I love you more than anything else in this life."

"But you took my toy!"

"Yes, I did. I took your toy without asking. How does that make you feel?"

"It makes me feel sad, give it back!"

"It makes you feel sad?"

"Yes!!"

"And how do you think Hypnos felt, when you took this toy without asking him first?"

"Sad!" Zagreus wailed, and then realized what he'd said.

"... ...Oh. …" Achilles waited. He wanted Zagreus to come to the answer himself.

"...I...I...I...Oh. ...Did...did...did I...make Hypnos sad?"

"Well, Hypnos is right over there. How does he look to you?"

"...Sad."

"Why do you think that is, lad?"

"...Because I took his toy?"

"That'd be my guess, too. Why don't you give it back to him, and see if it makes him happy again?"

"...I'm scared."

"I know, lad. You didn't mean to make him sad though, did you?"

"No, it was an accident."

"So tell him it was an accident. He should forgive you."

"...Can you come with me?" Achilles considered.

"...Just this once. Next time you need to apologize, though, you'll have to do it by yourself."

"Okay…" Achilles took Zagreus by the hand, and they walked over.

"Hyp...Hypnos? I...I'm  _ really  _ sorry I took your toy...I didn't mean to make you sad…"

"...Promise?"

"Promise. I didn't mean it, I love you, Hypnos. I won't take your things without asking again, promise."

"Okay. Thanks, Zag."

"Can we still be friends?"

"Sure, Zag, it's no big deal. You said you're sorry, and so it's okay."

"Next time you can take one of my toys."

"Even the big red ball?"

"Even the big red ball." Hypnos grinned.

"Then it's a deal!" Zagreus squeezed Achilles's hand.

"That wasn't so bad, was it, Zagreus?" he asked. Zagreus shrugged, then turned and buried his face in Achilles's stomach to cry.

"Why are you crying, Zag? It's no big deal, promise! I'm not even mad anymore!"

"I didn't mean to…!" Zagreus wailed, though the sound was muffled.

"It's alright, lad."

"It was scary!"

"So next time, just try and do better."

"What if I upset someone again?"

"Then you just apologize. If it was an accident, most people are willing to forgive."

"It was scary!"

"And you were very brave, owning up to your mistake like that."

"And I forgive you Zag, so there's no reason to cry!" Zagreus nodded.

"I'll tell you what, lad. You can come back to Elysium with me today, and Patroclus and I will make you hot cocoa and we'll sit by the fire and read stories until you fall asleep. As a special reward for being so brave."

"But we do that every time I come to Elysium."

"Then we'll also hug you and kiss you and tell you what a big, brave boy you were."

"Really?"

"Really."

"When can we go back to Elysium?"

"A little while, yet. Do you want to play with Hypnos until I'm done?"

"Yes!"

"And what does Hypnos want? Did you ask him?"

"Oh. Hypnos, do you want to play with me?"

"Um...I kinda wanna take a nap...Maybe some other time?"

"Oh. Okay…"

"You can come stand with me, lad. We'll stand guard together."

"Okay!"


	16. Duty Calls

"I finally got Zagreus down to sleep," Achilles said, as he rubbed a hand down his face.

"The tiny prince just doesn't sleep at all, does he?" Patroclus said with humour, "He'd run around all night if we didn't stop him." Achilles sighed heavily in reply.

"Are you truly so tired?" Patroclus asked, "Of course I'm more than willing to give you a soothing massage, but after that I was rather hoping we might-" Achilles kissed him, passionately.

"I _always_ have energy for that," he nearly growled.

***

"Achilles. Philtatos."

" _Philtatos_ …!" Achilles, even whispering his pleasure so Zagreus wouldn't hear, sounded absolutely wrecked. Patroclus rocked into him, and Achilles kept himself silent masterfully, high, desperate pants the only sounds escaping his lips.

"Achilles…" Patroclus grunted, quietly. "Tell me how it feels."

"So good, Pat. So good. Oh…! Oh, I-"

" _Daaaaaaaaad…!"_

Achilles gasped, pushed a leg up to roll them onto their sides, and yanked the blanket up over their heads as the door clicked open.

" _Daaaaaaaaad…_ "

"Wh-what is it, lad? Water?" 

"I can't _sleeeeeep._..Can you take me to Hypnos?" He could feel Patroclus trembling with barely contained...something. Lust, humour, frustration…

"A-alright, close the door so I can get dressed first, alright?"

"'Kay…" The door clicked shut, Achilles pulled the blanket down, and Patroclus sat up, mouth open and body vibrating with silent laughter.

"I didn't think it was possible for me to hate our tiny Prince, but here we are," he gasped, and Achilles smiled and shuddered as they separated.

"Duty calls, it seems." Achilles leaned down and kissed him.

"Keep yourself hard for me," he whispered, "Once Zagreus is back at the House I'll come right back here and we'll finish what we started." Achilles climbed out of bed, put on the tightest underwear and the loosest clothing he had, to hide his erection, then went out to Zagreus, who was pouting.

"Alright lad, let's go to Hypnos."

They appeared at the House, where everyone was asleep, and Zagreus ran to Hypnos.

"Hypnos...Hypnos...Wake up…"

"Hm? Wha? Zag? Zag, it's late, go to sleep…"

"I can't sleep, Hypnos…"

"Oh." That woke Hypnos up right away. Achilles had found that Hypnos could never resist the call of someone who couldn't sleep, and he generally loved nothing more than to put Zagreus to sleep. It was a soft, tender moment, but with his need still throbbing where it was concealed beneath his clothes he rather wanted it to be over. Hypnos stood up from his couch and took Zagreus by the hand.

"Let's get you to bed then, Zag, okay?"

"Okay." Achilles patted him on the shoulder.

"I'll see you tomorrow, lad."

"Okay...Thanks for bringing me here, Achilles."

"You're welcome. Goodnight, lad."

Hypnos and Zagreus would walk to bed, hand in hand. They'd crawl under the covers together, Hypnos would stroke Zagreus's cheeks and rub his thumbs over his weary eyes, and with a touch of Hypnos's magic Zagreus would be gone. He probably wouldn't even need a story tonight, because if he was complaining about not being able to sleep he was probably exhausted instead of simply not tired. Hypnos would fall asleep right after, Zagreus's polar opposite in being able to fall asleep at the drop of a hat. There they would sleep, together, for the rest of the night. It would be sweet, it would be tender, it would make Achilles's heart swell to watch.

Except he wasn't sticking around.

The moment he said goodnight he vanished and reappeared back in Elysium, and he discarded his clothes in the hall as he made his way back to the bedroom where Patroclus was lazily stroking himself. Achilles growled, and threw himself at Patroclus, and the tone of their lovemaking was significantly changed because of the interruption. 

Achilles would dare to say their lovemaking was all the more pleasurable because of it, but all in all he would have much preferred it if they _hadn't_ been interrupted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can blame, or thank, Adam29 for the idea. The next chapter - or maybe the chapter after, I still never know what's happening in this story before I write it - will be all me, though.


	17. Where did I come from?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So pro tip for writers: write one scene of a fic you're stuck on, then immediately go and take a shower. I have like FIVE chapters planned out and I want to write them Right Now Immediately, despite it being 1:35 am my time.

"How was I born?" Achilles and Patroclus freeze.

"...What do you mean, Zagreus?" Patroclus asked.

"Well...How are babies born? Where do they come from? They have to come from somewhere, right?" Patroclus shared a glance with Achilles, and they sighed.

"Let's go into the bedroom, lad. It's...a bit of a story, and you ought to be comfortable."

***

"Alright. Remember when we talked about love?"

"There's family love, and friend love, and parent love."

"Exactly. Mouth kisses are for parent love, do you remember that?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good. Well, parents do more than kiss. People who love each other do more than kiss, too. Because they love each other. This thing they do...we call it...making love."

"Coward," Patroclus quipped, and Achilles shoved him off the bed.

"What's making love?"

"Well, it's...well, you know you have a penis, of course. Women don't have penises, they have vaginas. It's...less of a stick, and more of a hole."

"Oh."

"Right. Well, when someone who wants to be a mother and someone who wants to be a father love eachother very much, they make love. The father puts the penis inside the mother's vagina, and…" Achilles faltered.

"And it feels really nice, like a hot bath, especially if you really love the other person," Patroclus continued, "And when you love someone, you get the nice hot bath feeling, and liquid comes out of the father's penis, and goes inside the mother's vagina. And the mother has a liquid deep inside her vagina, and when the mother's liquid mixes with the father's liquid, it starts to...well, it starts to grow into a baby...like a plant, almost."

"Babies  _ grow _ ?"

"Babies grow. And they grow inside the mother's stomach for nine months, until the baby is big and strong enough to be outside the mother's stomach. And then the mother's vagina opens very wide, and the baby comes out."

"So I came out of Nyx's stomach?"

"You did."

"Wow. So, do you two have babies?"

"Well, having babies only works if one person wants to be a mother and one person wants to be a father. Babies can't grow in people who want to be fathers, it has to be someone who wants to be a mother. So, Achilles and I sometimes make love for the nice hot bath feeling, but that's it. Besides, we don't need a baby, we have you."

"...And it's okay that I'm not... _ your  _ baby?"

"Absolutely, without a doubt, tiny Prince. You have made our lives very,  _ very  _ happy, our baby or not." Zagreus smiled.

"Okay. Will I get to make love?"

"You...generally have to love someone very much to make love."

"So...can I not feel the nice hot bath feeling until I meet someone I love?"

"It's...hard to explain. You  _ can  _ feel the hot bath feeling by yourself, but...it's a very unique feeling, and it has to come out in its own time...What I'm trying to say is, when you're ready for the hot bath feeling, you'll know, so I don't think you're old enough yet."

"Oh, okay."

"Right." Achilles was trying very very hard not to let the blush show on his face. "Anything else?"

"Um...I don't think so?"

"Alright. Well, if you have any questions, you're welcome to ask."

"Okay!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually, question: Zag is gonna be growing up, if you catch my drift. But I also am having entirely too much fun with young Zagreus. Do you want the growing up, experimentation (with Meg, so we goin' All Out) chapters in another work, perhaps in the same series, or are they fine here and we just accept that Zagreus is the most immature teenager there is?


	18. Meg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an interlude, and there will be angst coming up. Lots and lots and lots of angst.

"Hi. I'm Zagreus."

"So you're the prince, huh? Pleasure to meet you, your highness." The woman he was talking to was older than him, by a few years. She had a blue dress, long blue hair, and one wing. 

"Pleasure to meet you too! Do you work under Hades?"

"You should address your father as 'Lord Hades'. And yes, I do work under him. Though...perhaps you're a little young to know how."

"Okay. What's your name?"

"Megaera."

"Megaera? Well, I'm Zagreus."

"You've said."

"So...what do you like to do for fun?"

"T hings that you probably wouldn't understand."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I have two older sisters, and I hate them both."

"Why?" Megaera sighed.

"They're...mean. Tis is...strange, and Alecto...she hates me. And I hate her too."

"...Okay. Sometimes people just hate eachother, right?" Meg smiled.

"Yeah. Sometimes people just hate eachother. That...was a surprisingly mature thing for you to say. Anyway, I have to go now, prince Zagreus, but...well, we'll talk later."

"Okay!"

Zagreus and Megaera became friends. Meg had her job, which kept her really busy, but when they talked she was nice. Curt, but nice. She told him that both of her sisters had the same job as him, just in different departments. Alecto never came into the House if she could avoid it, which was good because even if she was allowed in the House, everytime she  _ was  _ in the House, she got in trouble. And Tisiphone was too strange to be allowed in the House, she'd scare people.

"That seems mean…She can't help being who she is…" Meg laughed.

"That's sweet, and clearly the mark of someone who hasn't met Tisiphone. And for your sake, Zagreus, I hope you never do." 

***

"Nice rugrat, Meg. Thanatos finally knock you up?"

"This is Prince Zagreus, Lord Hades's son. Treat him with respect."

"Well thankfully I don't have time for Rugrats, so I won't be around long enough. You have fun playing mommy, though." Alecto walked past her, ordered her drink, and left.

"Eugh. I hate Alecto."

"Who was that?"

"One of my sisters. I hate her."

"Oh. Okay."

"I don't want to talk about it, okay, let's talk about something else."

"Okay!"


	19. Alecto

"Hi, I'm Zagreus." Zagreus walked up to the lady with long hair like Meg and a red dress. She had one wing too. She was one of Meg's sisters. Meg said she hated her, but...Zagreus decided maybe she just needed a friend.

"That's nice, now piss off, asshole." Her tone was sharp, but so was Meg's when they first met, a little, and they were friends now.

"...What do you like to do for fun?"

"I like to make people bleed."

"...Because you hate them?"

"Because I can, now piss off."

"What does piss off mean?"

"It means fuck off."

"What does  _ that _ mean?"

"Fuck off means fuck off, now  _ fuck off _ !"

"But how can I fuck off if I don't know what it means?"

"RRRGH…!"

***

"How was duty at the House?" They were sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea.

"I watch a hallway, Pat," Achilles replied dismissively.

"You have a very important job guarding all the very important places."

"That no shade in their right mind would dare approach. I tell shades where to go if they're so hopeless with directions that they get lost."

"Well yes, but I'm sure there's-"

Screaming.

Zagreus was screaming. Not crying, not wailing,  **_screaming_ ** .

They stood from the table so suddenly that the tea was knocked right over and then their door burst open and Zagreus tripped and fell onto his face. Patroclus dove to the ground, pulled him into his arms, turned his back to the door and leaned over him, pinning him to the ground to shield him with his body as Achilles grabbed his spear. He flew out the door, spear at the ready, and stopped when he saw Nyx standing there. She didn't so much as flinch even as Achilles's weapon stopped mere inches from her throat, and she waited patiently for Achilles's eyes to dart around the area. He scanned their glade for threats, and it was only when he found none that he cautiously lowered his spear. He would not apologize for threatening Nyx, not when Zagreus was still screaming behind him.

"Clear!" he called to Patroclus, and only then did Patroclus raise himself from his defensive position on top of Zagreus.

"What happened?" Achilles demanded.

"There was an incident at-" Zagreus screamed  _ louder _ , in a clear attempt to drown her out, and she stopped.

"...He will tell you, if and when he is ready. I doubt he will want to return to the House for some time, and we will not force the issue. Please keep him here. At present, he is unharmed, but he requires comfort." Nyx closed her eyes, the only sign of stress he'd ever seen from her.

"I must return to the House, there are matters there that require my immediate attention." And she vanished.

That left their empty glade in Elysium, their little home, and a screaming Zagreus. Achilles shut the door and knelt next to Patroclus, who was checking Zagreus over for wounds. When they found none, they pulled him into their arms and held him tight. He screamed, and cried, and screamed again, and cried some more, and moaned when all the crying made his head hurt, and eventually he had no tears left to cry and his head was hurting too much for him to continue. They shushed him through it all, and kissed his head and dabbed at his eyes with a wet cloth when he complained of a headache and hurting eyes.

They picked him up and carried him to their bed after, when he calmed...relatively speaking. They laid Zagreus in bed, Patroclus at his front and Achilles at his back, and they held him as he cried over whatever incident had so thoroughly frightened him. Zagreus alternated between bouts of crying and anxious whimpering, and they held him though it all.

"...I don't feel good…" Zagreus moaned, the next day.

"Don't feel good?" Patroclus asked, his voice infinitely gentle as he traced a knuckle down Zagreus's cheek, "Don't feel good how?"

"I feel- mmph…!" And then Zagreus covered his mouth and lurched in a way that made it all too clear what he meant. Patroclus sat up, and Zagreus had just enough time to lean over the edge of the bed before his stomach revolted entirely. Zagreus started to cry again, and they rubbed his back and soothed him through it all, and afterwards Patroclus cleaned the floor and Achilles carried Zagreus to the bathroom to wash out his mouth. 

"Do you still feel sick?" Achilles asked, dabbing at Zagreus's neck with a cloth.

"Mhm…" And another bout of sickness started, but they were in the bathroom this time, at least.

When it was finally over Achilles carried Zagreus to bed, where they opened a window for fresh air, put a glass of water on the nightstand, and held him...gently, so as not to upset his fragile stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody - probably multiple somebodies - called this story sweet once, and I definitely owe that person an apology right now. I hope even the next two or three chapters of angst are still good for you.


	20. Brotherly Visit

Achilles and Patroclus held Zagreus as he cried, whimpered, got sick, and occasionally dozed for many, many days. They stayed awake with him through it all, and though they didn't need sleep it definitely felt as though Zagreus were a baby again. Zagreus was in disarray, and that meant Achilles and Patroclus were in a similar state.

Achilles hadn't been called to the House in some time. When he returned, once, to ask, Nyx had told him that his duties were suspended until Zagreus was willing to let him come to work. Achilles thought of Zagreus, in bed, too frightened to let him go and jumping at shadows, and grimaced.

"That...could be a while…" he said.

"Then it will be a while."

***

There was a gentle knock at their door. Achilles stood, took his spear, and answered. It was Nyx.

And Hypnos - in tears - and Thanatos - also in tears.

"Achilles. How is he?"

"He has been...He...is recovering, slowly."

"Is he well enough to receive visitors? His brothers have been exceptionally worried about him."

"Please, Mister Achilles, sir?" Hypnos begged.

"...I'll ask." He put his spear down, started to walk towards the bedroom, then paused.

"...Come in, Lady Nyx."

"Zagreus is taking all of your attention, as he should," she said, as she stepped inside, "Do not worry about formalities." Achilles nodded, then went to the bedroom, where Patroclus was still holding Zagreus.

"Zagreus…" he whispered, touching his cheek.

"Hm?"

"How do you feel, lad?"

"...Really sick."

"Alright. Hypnos and Thanatos are here, but I can tell them you want to be left alone."

"...Hypnos and Thanatos? Here?"

"Only if you're well enough, lad. If you aren't feeling up to seeing them I can tell them no."

"...I'll be okay...for a minute, maybe…"

"For a minute maybe? Alright." When Achilles went back out, Hypnos and Thanatos both perked up.

"He's very sick, but...he said he could see them for a minute, maybe." Nyx nodded.

"You both are going to be on your best behaviour, is that understood?" Both boys nodded frantically.

"Do not hold him tightly, and only one of you may hold him at a time, he will need space to breathe."

"Yes, mom."

"Yes, mother."

"Do not speak above a whisper, and do not talk over each other."

"Okay."

"And Hypnos, do not use your powers on him."

"But...okay," he finished, when she looked at him.

"And listen to Achilles like you listen to me. If he says you need to leave the decision is final, is that understood?"

"Yes, mom."

"Yes, mother." Nyx nodded to Achilles, and he nodded back. He opened the door to where Zagreus was laying with Patroclus, and both boys walked in and knelt next to Zagreus without a word.

"Hi guys…" Zagreus said quietly.

"Hi, Zag."

"...Hi, Zag…" Zagreus sat up, and rocked back and forth silently for a few seconds. They all looked at eachother, and they made no attempt to speak whatsoever. Achilles and Patroclus glanced between eachother. This was strange and unfamiliar territory. He'd never seen them sit in silence for this long before. Like they all knew anything they said would be empty and meaningless. Achilles hated it, and he hated that neither he nor Patroclus had been present for whatever incident had caused this.

"...I felt your soul, Zag," Thanatos finally said. Achilles sucked in a breath, and Patroclus stiffened. For the god of death to have felt Zagreus's soul...that meant…

Zagreus turned, slowly, and put a hand on Patroclus's. He squeezed it gently, and Patroclus wrapped a gentle arm around Zagreus's waist. Zagreus turned back to Thanatos.

"...What did my soul feel like?" he asked.

"...I don't really know. All I could think was that I shouldn't be feeling your soul, that I wanted to put it back where it belonged, but by the time I got there you were already…" Thanatos started to cry, and Hypnos followed suit not long after.

"Mom wouldn't let me look," Hypnos sniffed, "But Than hasn't stopped crying about it, and he won't tell me because it was too awful!" 

Achilles crossed the room and sat on the bed, and he and Patroclus held eachother.

"...I'm sorry you had to see it, Than," Zagreus finally said, and then they lapsed back into that terrible silence. A little while later, Zagreus opened his arms to pull them both into a hug, stopping when they both pulled back.

"Mom said we should only hug you one at a time," Hypnos said, and Zagreus pouted.

"Okay." He hugged Hypnos first, gently, then Thanatos.

"...I...feel a little sick...I think maybe I should go back to bed…" Thanatos nodded, and took Zagreus's hand.

"It was really nice to see you, Zag," he said, and Hypnos nodded.

"Bye guys."

"Bye, Zag."

"Bye, Zag."

"...Come along, children," Nyx said. She took them by the hand, and then all three vanished.


	21. The Incident

When they left, Zagreus laid down in bed, and closed his eyes.

"...Want anything to eat or drink?" Achilles asked quietly, and Zagreus made a feeble effort to shake his head.

"Mm-mm."

"Just want to sleep?"

"Mm."

"Alright. We're right here if you need us, love."

"Mm."

***

"Zagreus, lad…"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Alright, lad. We won't push you."

Unfortunately, 'we won't push you' became 'we don't want to push'. When Zagreus started having night terrors, started waking up screaming every night, they didn't have much choice in the matter.

"Zagreus-"

"No! I don't want to talk about it!"

"Lad, please-"

"NO!" Patroclus sat down.

"Look at me, Zagreus." Zagreus pouted fiercely in his direction.

"I'm going to give you two choices, Zagreus. And you're not going to like either one of them. But you have to choose one."

"I'm not talking."

"Of course. You can choose not to talk."

"Then I won't."

"And if you don't talk you'll keep reliving it over and over in your dreams." That had the intended effect: Zagreus froze, and his eyes moved to the floor as he thought. 

"You can talk about it, and maybe the dreams will go away or be less scary, or you can not talk about it and the dreams will stay exactly as they are. We know which choice  _ we  _ want you to pick...but the choice is ultimately yours, and we will respect your choice. And your choice isn't forever, you can change your mind anytime you want."

"...Promise the dreams will go away?" Patroclus sighed, and cupped Zagreus's face in his hands.

"I can't promise anything, tiny prince. All I can say for sure is that these dreams are tearing you apart from the inside out, and you'll never get better if things keep going the way they are now."

"...I want the dreams to go away."

"I know, little one. So do we. Ignoring them hasn't done anything...so maybe try talking about them, and see if that helps."

"... … … … … …" Achilles and Patroclus waited. Patiently. And they prayed to every single god that Zagreus would choose to talk.

"...B...being...dead...w-wasn't...so bad, actually…" he said, and then, "Can I take a bath?"

" _ Yes _ ." Achilles had never agreed to anything so fast in his life. If Zagreus thought he'd be more comfortable in the bath, then that was where he'd go. They led him to the bathroom, and the expansive bath, and Zagreus contemplated.

"...I...I want to be in the bath...but I also want you to hold me," he said, "But...I can't have both, can I?"

"We'll bathe with our clothes on," Patroclus said, equally determined that Zagreus be as comfortable as possible, no matter how outlandish his demands.

"Oh. Okay." And so they stepped into the water, all three of them, and Zagreus snuggled into Patroclus for a long time, at first, too overwhelmed at being surrounded by cozy hot water  _ and  _ held by his parents.

"...Being dead wasn't so bad," he continued, "It really wasn't. It felt...well...not  _ nice _ , it was just...sort of...there. But...an okay kind of there. It just...was."

"I'm so sorry we weren't there for you, Zagreus," Patroclus said, and Zagreus froze, and then the dam broke and he started to cry.

"I don't know what I did…! I just wanted to be her friend, why did she kill me?"

_ She _ ?! 

Zagreus was  _ murdered _ ?!

"I don't know, lad," Achilles murmured, already vowing to do some killing of his own should he ever come face to face with the woman who murdered his son.

In the House. In the  _ House _ ?

"Zagreus...Was this in the House?" Zagreus nodded, and wiped his eyes.

"I was walking in front of father's desk when it happened."

"Sorry...I don't understand. You were killed, in front of your father's desk, in full view of absolutely everyone there?"

"It was very sudden," Zagreus said.

"I suppose there's no point in logging a complaint to Lord Hades?" Patroclus said darkly.

"If the Lord's son was murdered in front of him I imagine he was quite furious."

"It...was really scary," Zagreus said, "I thought he was going to kill me, even though he wasn't mad at me. I...I only heard a few seconds, because Nyx did something to my ears so I couldn't hear after. But...It...The whole House shook, I've never been so scared in my life. Well...except…" Zagreus fell silent.

"...Can you tell me what happened, lad? Start at the beginning, try to tell everything in order."

"I went up to Meg's sister…"

"You did  _ what _ ?" Patroclus gasped, and Achilles shared the sentiment, as much as he knew that Zagreus was crown Prince and fully entitled to do whatever he damn well pleased. Alecto absolutely was in the wrong...and yet he still thinks someone ought to have told Zagreus to steer clear of Megaera's hot-blooded, slightly unhinged sister.

"Well...Meg said she hated her sister, but...I just thought she could use a friend…" Achilles swallowed forcefully.

"Alright...and then what happened?" Achilles asked, though he really needn't have bothered. The details at this point were almost irrelevant: Zagreus talked to Alecto, who hated people with a burning passion, and his unstoppable curiosity and general lack of street smarts got him killed.

"She...she told me to fuck off, but I didn't know what that meant, so I was asking her, and...and then…" Zagreus's voice fell to a whisper.

"She...she took out a knife and…" 

Zagreus put a hand to his throat, and they both pulled him into their arms.

"My poor boy," Achilles murmured. Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld, murdered at the tender age of ten years old. Had this been a kingdom on the surface, had Zagreus been mortal, the grief would have been immense. Here, in the Underworld, death is meaningless, except for the trauma of it all.

"My tiny prince," Patroclus murmured, and held him gently.

"But that wasn't the worst part." Gods above and below, there's  _ more _ . 

"What happened next, lad?"

"I didn't die, not right away. And it hurt. And I couldn't speak. And then I heard a strange sound, and then I died."

"A strange sound?"

"Mhm." Zagreus leaned into them. "Like,  _ bongg _ ." He sighed, and started to sag a little bit.

"Tired?"

"Mm. And sick."

"Alright, let's get you back into bed. Are you going to be sick?"

"I don't...think so?"

"Alright. Let me know if that changes."

"Mm."

They got out of the tub and dried themselves off, and Zagreus was mostly asleep by the time they finished. They carried him to bed, and Patroclus sighed.

"Let's hope, at least, that talking about it helped with the nightmares." And then Patroclus sighed, and Achilles pulled him close.

"I know, Pat."

"Ten years old."

"I know."

"In full view of the entire House...and yet nobody could stop it...how will he ever feel safe there again?"

"Mother Nyx has said not to force the issue. Let's worry about stopping the night terrors, and then see about getting him reacclimated to the House." A pause, and then Patroclus bowed his head.

"I should have been there. I should have kept him safe, or comforted him in his final moments."

"...I know. I'm sure everyone at the House did everything possible for him. Hades aside, every single person there cares for him. Cerberus, Hypnos, Thanatos, Mother Nyx...all gods with powers far beyond our own, even the children. I'm sure they all did everything they could."

"I should have been there."

"We were." Patroclus blinked. Looked up at Achilles in genuine confusion, and Achilles put his hand on Pateoclus's cheek.

"How long do you imagine Zagreus had been screaming for when Mother Nyx brought him here? Hours? Minutes? I'd wager less than that, even. Nyx left almost immediately because there were matters that required her immediate attention. The moment her son was revived, she brought him to us. We may not have been there for the murder itself, but we were there to comfort him immediately after." Patroclus sighed.

"You're right. We...did help him, didn't we?"

"Of course. Hypnos and Thanatos couldn't have soothed him like we did, even if he couldn't acknowledge it." Patroclus nodded.

"...Thank you, Achilles." Achilles smiled, and kissed him.

"I know you, and I know how you grieve."

"I know you, and I know how you grieve…" Patroclus repeated, and then took a breath.

"I suppose you'll be looking for a match at the stadium?" Achilles smiled.

"No, actually."

"No? What happened to the famous anger of Achilles?"

"It burned out. It softened, into a fire, to keep warm a very special child who needs its warmth right now. I'll soothe myself not by sparring, but by comforting my little Zagreus." And so together, they watched Zagreus as he slept, and soothed away the night terrors, and watched him as he slept some more. 

And then, when morning came, they realized Zagreus hadn't finished with his tale.


	22. Bravery

"...I got stuck," he said quietly.

"Pardon?"

"I got stuck. In the river."

"Sorry...the river Styx?" Zagreus nodded.

"I...don't know how to swim."

"Oh." He'd never needed to learn how to swim. There wasn't any water deep enough to drown him. Except the Pool of Styx, which Zagreus had no reason to be anywhere near. 

"I...panicked. And...and then...the water...I...kind of…"

"You drowned." Zagreus nodded.

"Except when I woke up I still couldn't swim. So I...drowned again. And then...maybe a third time. Nyx pulled me out."

"I see."

"And then father was yelling, and Nyx looked upset, and Than was crying, and Hypnos was crying, and she was still there, and I...I got so scared…"

"Of course you did, lad, you had every right to be afraid."

"And Nyx brought me here."

"And I'm very glad she did." Achilles pulled him in close.

"You've been so brave, Zagreus."

"But all I've done is cry and be sick."

"And talk about what happened to us. There's no shame in crying and being sick after something so awful as what happened to you."

"...I was so scared…" he whispered, like it was a shameful secret.

"I know, lad. But it's all over now. You're here at home, and you're safe."

"...I never want to go back to the House again."

"And we're not going to force you."

"...Really?"

"Really."


End file.
